WHALE WATCHER

By the lighthouse shadows
a right whale ascends
to the surfaced air
rising to encircle us
those left here in Plymouth
by the famous rock
as the captain's tour guide
points at the camera
with Ahab's finger still on him
feeling like Melville's spirit
is with this musician- poet
alive with our November breath
checking out nature's power
by a roaring of waves rising
watching the big fish
and thinking of Jonah
praying in sackcloth at Nineveh
here is a stretched out
frosty mouth whale
with maladjusted lip
entangled by rope
demanding to get a fair look
at his unexpected exposure
now a wild sound is heard
from the daring deep
and all we wish for
is for the whale to be safe
and to hope for closure.